


Inevitable

by whenyoudontgiveafck



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Kara goes missing, Lena Luthor Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, Lena blames herself of course, This was written ages ago before the car crash that was season 5, for quite some time, i forgot it existed, the universe is very mean but well intentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28809705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whenyoudontgiveafck/pseuds/whenyoudontgiveafck
Summary: Kara disappears one day, Lena blames herself and spends years searching for her. Will they find their way back to each other?
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 5
Kudos: 136





	Inevitable

**Author's Note:**

> Hello folks! 
> 
> This one was written before season 5, I had completely forgotten it existed! 
> 
> I hope you’re all safe and well!
> 
> Please note that when Alex is talking about tea and biscuits I mean English tea made with a kettle and chocolate digestives or bourbons or custard creams. Dunking said biscuits in tea is an art form, lest you end up with half lost to the steaming hot beverage. 
> 
> Love to you all!

It took Lena 29 days to figure out that Kara was missing and she would never forgive herself for it. She was consumed by what ifs. What if she had never left National City? What if she hadn’t turned her phone off? If she had found out sooner maybe she would’ve been able to find her. 

She replayed the last time she saw her over and over in her head. It had been a game night at Jonn’s. It was the first one since she had killed her brother and found out that Kara was Supergirl. Lena had chosen to not reveal to Kara that she knew her secret. She wanted to see just how long Kara would lie to her. When she had rocked up with the wine she had wanted nothing more than to throw it straight at Kara’s head but no, Luthor’s know how to keep their cool, Luthor’s know how to play the long game. She had put on a fake smile and pretended like she hadn’t murdered her brother and she didn’t know that her best friend had been lying to her for years. 

Kara had been giving her worried looks all night and having whispered conversations with Alex. Lena had chastised herself for what felt like the hundredth time for not figuring out Kara was Supergirl sooner. The way Alex talked to Supergirl and protected her, it was just like the way she did with Kara. It was so blatantly obvious that Kara and Supergirl were the same person. 

Lena had downed the remainder of her fourth, or was it fifth drink, and decided to call it a night. Kara had leapt up from her seat and offered to walk her home. Lena had accepted Kara’s offer, at the time she had no idea why she had, but looking back all Lena can remember is that she had to accept, she had no choice, it’s like she knew that would be the last time she would see her. 

They had walked in silence for a little while before Kara had asked if she was okay. Lena had nodded and said she was just tired but Kara hadn’t looked convinced. Kara had insisted on coming all the way up to Lena’s penthouse. They had been at the door when Lena’s heart had sunk. 

“Lena, there’s something I need to tell you.” Lena had known Kara was about to tell her she was Supergirl. She hadn’t wanted to hear it. She hadn’t wanted to see it with her own eyes. She hadn’t wanted to lose the final piece of her that was holding out saying Lex had been wrong. So she had put a finger to Kara’s lips and said “Not tonight Kara.”

Kara had looked confused but had nodded her acceptance. Lena had then stepped into her apartment and shut the door on Kara. That was the last time she saw her. 

She should have let her in. She should have not been a coward and let Kara say what she had to say. She shouldn’t have got on a plane later that night and left the country. She shouldn’t have shut herself away from Kara. But she did. And she hates herself every day for it. 

It had taken 5 days for her to stop drinking herself to sleep. It took 20 days for her to stop burying herself in her work long enough to think about returning to National City. On the 25th day Lena had realised that Kara would’ve been able to find her anywhere in the world but Supergirl had not shown up. 27 days after leaving National City Lena had begun to get worried, she just had a feeling something was wrong. On the 29th day Lena gave in and turned her phone on. She was not prepared for all the messages she had received. She had hundreds of missed calls and texts and emails. She hadn’t known where to begin so she had called Kara, it went straight to voicemail. That had been weird but not unusual so Lena had opened her messages. When she had to scroll to find Kara’s she knew something was wrong. The last message was dated the day Lena had left. 

_Kara: Hey Lee just wanted to let you know I’m here for you no matter what ❤️_

Lena had suddenly felt very sick. She hadn’t bothered to read any other messages she had immediately called Alex. Her heart had been racing as she waited for Alex to answer. 

“Lena?” 

“Alex is Kara okay?” Panic had risen through her body. 

“Lena where have you been?!” 

“Alex that doesn’t matter is Kara okay?!” She had needed to know. 

“Haven’t you read any of my messages?”

“No Alex I just turned my phone back on! Is Kara okay?!” 

“No Lena, she’s missing!” Lena had had to run to the toilet where she emptied the contents of her stomach. “Lena are you okay?”

Lena had pressed the phone back to her ear. “How long?” She had known the answer before Alex told her. 

“29 days” Lena couldn’t stop herself from being sick again as the guilt had washed over her. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking it was her fault. 

\---

Lena had been wheels up within a few hours. And marching into the DEO a few hours after that. A surprised agent had escorted her to a room with a guard posted outside the door. She had become increasingly agitated until finally Alex had entered the room. 

“Lena...”

“Alex why do I feel like I’ve been arrested?” She had definitely been put in an interrogation room. 

“Supergirl and Kara both went missing at the same time you did and you were the last person to see Kara.” Lena knew Alex had been treading lightly around the whole Kara is Supergirl thing. 

“Do you honestly think I could intentionally harm my best friend? Never mind my best friend who also happens to be National City’s resident superhero? I didn’t even know she was g-gone” Lena’s voice had cracked at the last part, the reality of the situation sinking in. 

“So she told you?” 

“No Lex did but when she went to tell me, I said not tonight Kara and shut the door on her, that’s the last time I saw her. I couldn’t handle the truth so I ran and now she’s not even here for me to tell her that I understand why she lied.” Lena had buried her face in her hands not wanting Alex to see the tears in her eyes. “What happened to her?”

“She went to an Earth in a different universe to help out some friends with a problem. They said they watched her get in the portal to come back but she never returned.” 

“There are multiple universes?”

“Yes the multiverse exists, I’ve been to another universe.” 

“That is honestly brilliant but where is Kara?” 

“I don’t know.”

\---

Lena had worked tirelessly with the DEO for the best part of a year to no avail. As the year had wore on the team around Lena and Alex had got smaller and smaller as the DEO assigned resources to more pressing matters. National City began to move on too but Lena and Alex had persisted until Alex had to break the news that the DEO was no longer going to fund the search for Kara and she had officially been reassigned. Lena had been shocked to hear they were giving up. 

“But she’s still alive Alex! I know she is!”

“I think so too Lena and I’m not about to stop you from taking all your research away from here and carrying on outside of the DEO.”

“I’ll take it to one of my labs and you’re more than welcome to come by and help. I’m not giving up on her.”

\---

2 years to the day of Kara’s disappearance Alex had practically barged down the door of Lena’s lab, she hadn’t heard from Lena in over a month. 

It was a very unkempt Lena that had answered the door. “What do you want Alex?” 

“Lena you have to stop, she would want you to move on and live your life!”

“I can’t stop Alex! If I stop that’s me giving up and if I give up I’m admitting that she’s never coming back and I just can’t do that.” Lena had broken down in Alex’s arms. 

“I miss her every day, life will never be the same but I know she wouldn’t want either of us to waste the life we have left. I really hope she’ll find her way home to us, I have to believe she will. Right now there’s nothing more that you can do, you need to get your life back on track even though it’ll never be the same without her.”

\---

Lena had listened to Alex. She got L-Corp back on track with help from Sam, Jess and some of the discoveries she had made in the search for Kara. She spent time with Alex, Kelly, J’onn and the rest of their family and a smile slowly began to return to Lena’s face but it was never as quick and easy as when Kara was around. She thought of her every day. Her heart longed to have her best friend back. 

On the eve of the three year anniversary since Kara had gone missing Lena had had a breakthrough. She had set in motion the contingency plan for her absence from L-Corp and then she had stepped into a portal. That had been the last time Alex had seen Lena. 

\---

It was 5 years to the day of Kara’s disappearance when a portal opened in Mr and Mrs Scott’s apartment and much to their surprise out stepped Supergirl. Mr and Mrs Scott were both incredibly surprised to see Supergirl, who had not been seen for 5 years, appear from the portal. Supergirl was also incredibly surprised to find two people she did not know in her apartment. It was her apartment she was sure of it. She could see faint scorch marks on the ceiling and the slightly different coloured paint on the wall where she had punched a hole and had to hastily replaster and paint before anyone found out. She couldn’t for the life of her understand why these people were in her apartment never mind where all her stuff was. Supergirl apologised to the two terribly shocked people and fled the apartment. What she didn’t see was the tv behind her showing people attending a memorial for the 5 years since her disappearance. 

Supergirl was going to go through the window of Alex’s apartment but at the last second thought better of it and instead knocked on the door. An older lady, Mrs Parks, who Supergirl also did not know, answered the door. A very confused Supergirl asked a very confused Mrs Parks if she knew where Alex Danvers was. The confused Mrs Parks said she did not know for certain where Mrs Danvers was but she was sure she had kept the address she had been given in case she needed to send any post to her. Mrs Parks had invited Supergirl in whilst she looked for the address. Supergirl was getting more and more worried as it was become increasingly clear that something wasn’t right. She had only been out of the universe for a few days. Mrs Parks handed the address to Supergirl with a sad smile, she wished the real Supergirl was actually back. 

Supergirl had flown straight to the address which was a quiet suburb just on the edge of the city. The house was just like the type Supergirl had always imagined herself settling down and having a family in. Lena flashed through her mind and Supergirl felt her heart pound a little faster. Supergirl knocked on the door. After a few seconds the door swung open and Supergirl had to look down to see who opened it. A little girl with long auburn hair was looking up at with silly grin on her face. 

“Hi there, is there an adult I could speak to?” Supergirl looked into the little girls familiar brown eyes. 

“Amelia Kara Danvers! What have I told you about opening the door to strangers?!” Supergirl’s jaw dropped open as Alex came into view. Her hair was longer and she had more lines on her face. She looked older. More surprisingly was the obvious baby bump and the rings on her ring finger. 

Alex finally looked up to see who was at the door and practically sobbed out “Kara!” before pulling her into a hug. 

A still shocked Kara froze for a second when Alex hugged her before carefully returning the hug. Kara pulled away from the hug to look at Alex once more. “Alex what is going on?”

“You better come inside.” Alex stepped aside but Amelia stayed staring up at Kara. “Come on Amelia, let her in.” Amelia looked up at Alex, nodded and then grabbed Kara’s hand and pulled her inside. Kara was so shocked by the little hand that so clearly belonged to Alex’s child that she stumbled at the action. She quickly regained herself and followed Amelia into the house. 

The best way to describe the house was homey. There were many photographs on the walls of Amelia at various stages of her life so far. When Kara reached a family portrait she was surprised to see Kelly sat smiling happily next to Alex, her arms wrapped round a baby Amelia. 

Alex watched Kara carefully as she looked at all the photos. Kara looked exactly the same as when she had last seen her. Alex knew Kara didn’t age the same as the rest of them but she just felt like Kara was different in some way. She didn’t look hurt in any way just very confused. 

Kara picked up a group photo from a bookcase. Her eyes zeroed in on Lena. She looked older too. Lena was smiling in the photo but it wasn’t like the ones she used to give Kara. Kara ran a finger over Lena before putting the photo back. 

Kara sat down on the couch and Amelia scrambled up on to her lap and snuggled into her chest. Kara looked uncertainly at Alex who smiled her encouragement. Kara looked down at the miniature version of Alex and wrapped her arms around her. 

“Why don’t you tell me what you remember Kara?” 

“I went to help Barry and Oliver, I was there for four days and then I got in the portal and came back. But everything is different here.” 

Alex frowned, “So you’re saying you left to go help Barry and Oliver four days ago?”

“Yes that’s exactly what I’m saying. There are people living in my apartment. You’re married to Kelly and living here and you have this munchkin and you’re pregnant. What’s going on Alex?” Amelia gripped Kara tighter and Kara relaxed into the cuddle.

“Kara you left five years ago. You got in the portal to come back but you never returned home.” 

Kara couldn’t believe what she was hearing, her mind couldn’t comprehend the information. 

“Amelia why don’t you go play with your toys and give Kara some space.” Amelia scowled at her mum before clambering down and running off to her toy box. 

“I-I’ve been missing for fi-five years?” Tears began to well in Kara’s eyes. 

“Yeah and I can’t believe you’re actually back. I always said to Lena that I knew you would find your way back to us.” Alex grabbed Kara’s hands still not quite believing her sister was home. 

At the mention of Lena panic flashed through Kara. “Oh Rao! Where’s Lena?! I needed to tell her that I’m Supergirl.” Kara looked at Alex who had a pained look on her face. “What’s up Alex? Is Lena okay?”

“I don’t know Kara.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Worry began to creep up Kara’s spine. 

“I’ve not actually seen her for two years. I know she’s alive because she still has some influence over L-Corp but she disappears for long periods of time.” 

“How can she just disappear? L-Corp is her baby.” Kara didn’t understand how anything could be more important to Lena than L-Corp. Kara knew just how hard she had worked to turn things around for the company. 

“Lena took your disappearance really hard.” Alex sighed. She really had tried to stop Lena from spiralling but she couldn’t be stopped. “She blamed herself.”

“How could it possibly be Lena’s fault?” 

“Well it wasn’t, although I thought it might have been for a little while-“

Alex was cut off by a protesting Kara. “Alex! How many times do I have to tell you that Lena is not her family!” 

“Kara I know she isn’t, just let me explain please.” Kara eyed Alex suspiciously before huffing out a “fine”. “Lena left the country and turned off her phone for about a month at the same time you disappeared.” Kara opened her mouth to speak but Alex put a hand up to stop her. Kara snapped her mouth shut. “I got your text about going helping Oliver and Barry so I didn’t think anything was wrong until about a week after you left. We made contact with Cisco and he said you had already left. At this point I’m really starting to get worried about where you are so I try and get in touch with Lena and I can’t. She’s not answering her phone, she’s not at home, she’s not at L-Corp. I knew you’d been wanting to tell her you were Supergirl. I just really didn’t know what to think. J’onn tried to find you to no avail.” Alex paused to let Kara process what she had told her. 

“I never even got the chance to tell her.” It came out as barely a whisper. 

Alex squeezed Kara’s hands. “I know you didn’t.”

Kara took a breath in. “I’m assuming she knows now, does she hate me?” Kara almost didn’t want to know the answer. 

“She could never hate you Kara. She lo-“ Alex caught herself. “She cares too much about you to hate you.” Kara let out a sigh of relief. “It turns out Lex had already told her before you but that’s a story she can tell you herself.” 

Anger rose through Kara at the thought of Lena finding out through Lex. “Where had she gone?”

“She had disappeared off to some house she has somewhere in Europe. She never did tell me where. She was hiding from the truth about you but obviously she knew you were Supergirl, she knew you would be able to find her so when you never showed up she got worried. She turned her phone back on and that’s when she found out you were missing. She came straight back and I knew within a couple of minutes of talking to her that she had nothing to do with your disappearance.” 

Kara’s heart ached to hold Lena. “How did she think it was her fault?” 

“She wholeheartedly believes that if she had let you in that night this would never have happened. She never explained how she got to that conclusion but she did and I could never get her to think otherwise.” Alex couldn’t count the amount of arguments her and Lena had had about that. 

Kara couldn’t let Lena go on for one more second thinking she was in any way responsible for this. Kara jumped up off the couch. “I have to go find her.”

Alex grabbed her arm before she could rush off. “Kara wait! You’ve just got back you can’t go flying off around the world, nobody has seen you for five years.”

Kara looked Alex in the eyes hoping she would understand why she had to go find Lena. “Alex I have to find her. She has to know it’s not her fault.” Kara carefully removed Alex’s hand before heading towards the door. 

Alex knew Kara’s search would be pointless. “Kara she’s not here.”

Kara gave Alex a confused look. “Well obviously that’s why I have to find her.” 

Alex shook her head, “No Kara she’s not on Earth, she’s not even in this universe.” 

“What do you mean she’s not in this universe?” 

“Lena did a lot of research whilst she tried to find you. She made some very exciting discoveries, you should google L-Corp she’s honestly done amazing things. But two years ago she was close to a breakthrough, she believed she could navigate her way to you. I’ve not seen her since, she checks in with Sam and Jess at L-Corp every now and then but she disappears for months. I don’t know where she’s going or what she’s doing, we’ve all been really worried about her.” Alex ran a hand through her hair, it had been a tough five years. She felt a comforting kick in her belly and smiled. She waved Kara over, “Come feel this, the baby is kicking.”

Kara’s eyes lit up and she used her super speed to get back next to Alex. She gently placed a hand where Alex told her to and Kara was blown away by what she felt. A tiny little life was growing inside Alex. It was then that Amelia reappeared with a photo frame in her little hands. She thrust it towards Kara. “What’s this kiddo?” 

“Mama’s favourite photograph. She looks at this one the most. With sad eyes.” 

Kara took the frame out of Amelia’s hands and turned it over. It was a photo of Kara, Alex and Lena all with big happy smiles. 

“I lost you both the day you went missing.”

Tears welled up in Kara’s eyes, she couldn’t imagine what Alex had been through. 

At that moment Alex’s phone began to ring, Kara glanced down and saw a picture of Lena holding a baby Amelia on the screen. Her stomach took a leap and Kara waited with baited breath to hear Lena’s voice. 

Alex answered the phone. “Lena you’re actually alive.” Alex’s voice was dripping with sarcasm but her face showed how relieved she was that Lena was calling. 

“I’m sorry Alex, I know I’ve been away a while, I just got so side tracked.” Lena sounded tired to Kara but also on edge, she couldn’t believe she had chosen this time of all times to call Alex. 

“Well I miss you a lot, we all do.” Kara loved how much Alex cared about Lena now, how much Lena was considered part of the family she just wished she hadn’t had to disappear for five years to make it happen. “Are you okay?”

“This is going to sound strange Alex but I really think Kara is back. I can’t explain it but-“ Kara’s heart started to beat faster at the mention of her name. 

“Lena she is back.” There was silence on the other end of the line for a beat. 

“Are you serious?!” The pitch of Lena’s voice went up. 

“Yeah she’s sat here on my couch, she literally came back today, how did you know?” Alex couldn’t believe that the first she hears from Lena in forever was the same day Kara appears at her door after five years. It was too big of a coincidence. 

“I just had this feeling, I really can’t explain it. I need to come back right away.” 

Kara waved to get Alex’s attention and then mimed her flying to Lena. Alex nodded. 

“Kara said it would be easier for her to fly to you.”

There was another pause on Lena’s end of the line. “Of course, I’ll send you the address.” Lena paused. “Alex I can’t believe this is happening. I always believed she would come home but now it’s happened, I can’t wait to see her.”

“I know it’s insane, I still don’t fully believe it and she’s sat right here.” Alex reached out for Kara’s hand, confirming that her sister really was there. “She’ll be with you soon and Lena you better be with her when she comes back here.”

“I promise I’ll come home Alex.” Kara’s eyes welled with tears, she couldn’t believe she missed out on Alex and Lena becoming family. It was beautiful. 

Alex ended the call and Kara stood up ready to leave. “Kara you can’t just go flying around like you used to, you’re gonna have to stay hidden. You’ve been missing from this world for five years, your return is going to get complicated very quickly so let’s try and have this moment just for us for a little while.”

Kara nodded in understanding. “I promise I’ll stay hidden.” 

Alex’s phone pinged and she scowled at the screen. “She’s been in National City this entire time. Well when she’s actually been in this universe.”

Kara looked at the address, she could be with Lena within a couple of minutes. 

Alex’s tone of voice became serious, “Kara you need to remember that Lena has been through a lot these past five years. She’s changed. Just tread lightly and please don’t hurt her, she’s been hurt enough.” 

Kara was taken aback by Alex’s turn in tone. “Did my sister just give me a shovel talk about my best friend?”

Alex scowled at Kara, “She’s part of the family now Kara, I see her as a sister.”

Kara was really struggling to get her head around this 5 years have passed thing. “Alex I’m not going to hurt her.” She pulled Alex into a careful hug, so as not to hurt the baby, and then flew off to find Lena. 

\---

Kara had flown across the city hidden in the clouds. She now hovered above the address Lena had sent Alex, the clouds were beginning to soak her hair, water clung to her suit, if she could’ve felt the cold she knew she would have been shivering. There was a reason she didn’t usually fly through clouds. Kara scanned the surrounding area, there was no one about. She let her senses reach out. She listened intently, pushing past the wind whipping round her ears, and there it was, Lena’s heartbeat. Kara dropped through the sky desperate to be closer. 

Kara landed on Lena’s balcony with a soft thud. Kara peered in through the glass doors, her eyes desperately trying to find Lena. And there she was staring right at Kara, her mouth open, eyes wide, a gasp flowing into her lungs. And then the glass of water in her hand was falling to the floor and Kara was speeding in through the door, hand stretching to reach the glass before it hit the floor. Kara found herself stood right in front of Lena, glass in hand and her body ached to reach out and touch her like it knew it hadn’t done that for five years even if her brain thought different. 

When Lena’s brain caught up to the fact that Kara was now right in front of her she let out a soft sob before pulling Kara in for a hug. Lena buried her face into Kara’s neck mumbling her name into her skin. 

When Kara pulled away to look at Lena she was overwhelmed with the urge to kiss her. Kara couldn’t understand where it was coming from, of course she knew Lena was attractive but she had never thought about kissing her before. Well apart from that one time when Lena had raised one of her perfect eyebrows and given her that look that sent her heart racing. And that other time Lena wore that dress with the plunging neckline. Kara wanted to do more than just kiss her then. Thinking about it there were lots of times Kara had wanted to kiss Lena. She’d always ignored the totally not platonic thoughts about her best friend. Lena could never want Kara and Kara could never kiss Lena when she was keeping such a big secret from her. But that secret was no longer a secret and Lena was looking at her like she was a mirage that would disappear if she blinked. Lena was gripping Kara’s shoulders, not willing to let go. Kara’s body overruled her mind, her body was aware of what her mind was not, this was a reunion after 5 years apart and not kissing Lena was not an option. 

Kara dipped her head down towards Lena’s, slowly inching closer, eyes flicking between her eyes and her lips, intentions clear, giving Lena plenty of time to back out. 

If Lena hadn’t already been in shock from seeing Kara for the first time in 5 years then she was certainly in shock now. Kara was going to kiss her she was certain. If she hadn’t be in a state of shock she might’ve had the sense to move away. Surely Kara couldn’t actually want to kiss Lena. She had only ever shown glimpses of interest when Lena had shamelessly flirted with her, a blush creeping up her neck, a nervous laugh, stumbling over words. Apart from that one time Lena wore that revealing dress. She caught Kara staring at her chest on multiple occasions that night. Despite this Lena had remained firmly in the friend zone so surely Kara didn’t want to kiss Lena. But here she was with her lips mere inches from Kara’s and she was frozen in place. She had seen this exact moment a dozen times in a dozen different universes. The first kiss between her and Kara. And now it was happening in her own universe and honestly she couldn’t believe it. 

She was so shocked that when Kara’s lips finally found her own she didn’t react. Her eyes stayed open. Her lips stayed still. As Kara pulled away, panic in her eyes and an apology on her lips, Lena finally escaped the clutches of her frozen response and chased after Kara’s lips, pulling the girl of steel back towards her. Lena cut off Kara’s apology, pressing her lips to Kara’s. Despite having seen how their first kiss always plays out in many universes she was still not prepared for how it felt to be kissed by Kara. She was the strongest being on earth, her skin invulnerable, but god was she soft. Soft and warm and full of passion. 

Lena already knew she was in love with Kara, she had known before she disappeared but the kiss confirmed everything. Her heart was bursting. The woman she loved had returned after 5 horrible years apart and she couldn’t be happier. 

Kara was just beginning to understand how she felt about Lena. When Lena hadn’t responded to the kiss Kara had panicked but it hadn’t lasted long as Lena had chased her lips. She had pulled Kara into her body and when their lips had met Kara had felt like she was fulfilling the inevitable. Like this was always meant to happen and would’ve happened no matter what. As Kara felt a previously unknown fire ignite inside her she saw moments with Lena flash by in her mind’s eye. Lena had been openly flirting with her since the day they met and Kara had been blind to it all. She had been blind to all her dreams about Lena both during the day and at night. She had brushed them off as nothing, everyone dreams about kissing their best friend. As Lena’s tongue slipped into her mouth and found her own she realised that most people probably don’t dream about kissing their best friend. She wished she had made her dreams reality and done this a long time ago. 

When they finally pulled apart, breathless, Kara pressed her forehead to Lena’s. “Hey.” Lena’s eyes filled with tears at the sound of Kara’s voice. She had rung Kara’s phone over and over to hear her voicemail. When Kara’s phone had been cut off Lena watched videos of Kara to hold on to the sound of her voice. Kara’s voice was never quite the same through a speaker. When she heard Kara’s voice in the other universes, it was never quite the same, it was never how Lena remembered it. So this was the first time Lena had heard Kara’s voice in 5 years, of course she cried. Kara cupped Lena’s face with her hands and wiped away the tears. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened, I don’t remember anything. I’m so sorry I left you.” 

Lena sniffed and tried to gather her thoughts. “You have nothing to apologise for Kara.”

It was Kara’s turn to cry. Hearing Lena’s voice had triggered a feeling of sadness that she wasn’t aware she had. "I do Lena. If not for disappearing for five years then for lying to you about being Supergirl for so long. I should’ve told you, you should’ve found out from me. I’m so sorry.” Kara let the tears fall. 

Lena pulled Kara into another hug. “Darling, I accept your apology. I forgave you for that a long time ago.”

Kara relaxed into the hug and her tears eventually stopped. “Lena I don’t understand what’s happened. My mind thinks I’ve been gone for a few days but my body knows it’s years. What happened to me?”

Lena frowned. “I’m not sure darling.” Lena wasn’t lying, not really, she wasn’t sure what had happened to Kara but she had a pretty good idea. Lena suddenly became aware of Kara’s wet supersuit. “Your suit is wet.” Lena looked outside, it wasn’t raining. 

Kara laughed. “Alex said I should remain hidden so I flew through the clouds.”

Lena spoke before she realised what she was saying, “we should get you out of that.”

Kara blushed and Lena’s eyes went wide when she realised what she had said. Lena rushed to correct herself, “I-I mean I know you can’t get a cold b-but surely it’s still not good for you to be in a wet suit.” 

Kara raised an eyebrow, she couldn’t believe that Lena Luthor, queen of cool was blushing and stuttering over her. “I know I’ve been gone for five years Lee but surely you can wait a little longer to get in my pants.” Kara had never teased Lena like this before, it was always the other way round. She had to admit, it was fun. She had never seen Lena so red. 

“Kara!” Kara just grinned at Lena and Lena couldn’t help but smile back. And there it was the smile that had been gone for 5 years. Lena felt the difference and just like that parts of who she used to be broke free and flirty Lena was back. “As much as I would love to get in your pants,” She raised an eyebrow at Kara, a smirk on her face. “I was just suggesting you borrow some clothes to travel back into the city. It’s probably best that Supergirl, who has been missing for 5 years, and Lena Luthor, who has also been suspiciously absent for a couple of years, are not seen flying through the skies of National City together.” 

“So how are we getting back to the city?” Kara tried to not let her mind linger on the possibilities that lay ahead with Lena. 

Lena’s face broke into a grin, “I’m going to drive.”

Kara’s eyes widened, “I didn’t know you could drive?”

Lena laughed, “Kara I have a handful of degrees of course I can drive! I actually really enjoy it.”

“But I’ve never seen you drive?!” Kara spluttered. 

“I was just always too busy to drive. Now quit your questioning and go change out of this sopping wet suit.” Lena pushed Kara off towards the bedroom. “I’m sure you’ll find something to wear in my closet.”

\---

When Kara reappeared from Lena’s bedroom, wearing Lena’s clothes, clothes that smelt like Lena, Lena just raised an eyebrow. “I see you found your way out of the closet.”

Kara could’ve scowled, she could’ve pouted or rolled her eyes, instead she swept Lena into a kiss. “Aren’t you glad about it?”

“Very glad, but I have to ask, what changed for you? Five years ago you wouldn’t have done that.” Lena nervously bit her lip, not sure what Kara’s answer was going to be. 

“Honestly, I just had to kiss you. There was no other option. I couldn’t think about anything else.” Kara reached out to Lena, trying to calm her nerves. 

Lena hummed, wrinkles appearing on her forehead as she thought. She pulled Kara in for another kiss, when they separated a small smile was visible on Lena’s face. “Inevitable.”

\---

Lena expertly navigated her way through the city, they didn’t talk, just enjoyed each other’s company. Kara’s attention flitted between watching Lena and observing all the changes that had happened since she had gone. There were many. 

The drive to Alex’s took them along the waterfront. As they approached the Supergirl statue, Kara and Lena realised there was a crowd. The crowd were holding candles aloft. Kara’s mouth hung open, tears formed in her eyes. These people were here for her. 

Lena glanced over at Kara’s face, she could see the tears glistening in her eyes every time they passed a streetlight. “Shit I forgot they would be doing this tonight. I’m sorry.” Lena reached out a comforting hand to Kara’s leg. 

Kara sniffed. “I can’t believe they do this for me.” Her voice was thick with emotion. 

“You were a hero Kara, so many people looked up to you and adored you, you touched so many lives in this city. When they officially announced you were missing there was a massive gathering here and in other parts of the city. The city mourned their loss together. Every year on the day of your disappearance they do a candlelit vigil.” Lena kept glancing over at Kara trying to judge her reaction to this. “It wasn’t just me and Alex and the rest of your family that missed you, it was the whole city. Hell, people all over the world lit candles for you. It was unprecedented. You were a beacon of hope for this planet and then you were g-“ Lena’s voice broke, tears filled her eyes and she rapidly blinked them away. Lena continued in a whisper, “You were gone and I didn’t even know, 29 days Kara, I was in a different fucking country running away from the truth, selfishly being mad at you for something you did to protect me.” Lena couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. 

“Lee I think you should pull over.” Kara couldn’t stand seeing her like this, she needed to hold her and comfort her. 

Lena pulled into a side street and stopped the car. She looked at Kara, she had a very concerned expression. “I don’t deserve your sympathy Kara, I’m the reason you never came home. It’s all my fault.” A sob escaped Lena’s lips. 

Kara tried her best to pull Lena into a hug in the awkward confines of the car. “How on earth could it possibly be your fault Lena?”

“I’ve been to many different earths, somehow we always seem to find each other. I’ve seen us start a relationship, I’ve seen us several years into a relationship, I’ve even seen us married with kids.” Kara couldn’t help but see flashes of a future with Lena, a warmth spread out from her chest. “I turned you away and ran, if you hadn’t disappeared I would have ruined our friendship and any future. We’re inevitable Kara. And because of the way I responded the universe took you away because it was the only way to make me realise I was deeply in love with you. So yes it’s my fault that you’ve missed out on the past few years because I’m too broken to love you.” Lena sagged in her seat, relieved to finally tell someone the truth. 

Kara was speechless. There was so many things to unpack and process with what Lena had said but her mind kept coming back to the image of them getting married and having kids. “Lee how many different earths have you been to?”

There was a long pause before Lena turned to look at Kara and said, “Three hundred and fifty one.”

Kara’s eyes widened, “In how many of those were we together?” 

Lena visibly swallowed, “All bar one.”

“Oh Rao! What was different about that one?”

“From what I can gather Krypton never exploded so you never came to earth.” Lena watched Kara’s eyebrows furrow. 

Kara was lost in a world of possibilities. There were universes out there where Krypton still existed, where she lived with her family, well her Kryptonian family. Kara thought about her family here on Earth. Alex, Eliza, J’onn, James, Winn, Brainy, Nia and of course Lena. Lena who it seemed she was destined to fall in love with. Kara looked at Lena, she was looking at Kara with careful eyes. She already loved this woman with everything she had, it wasn’t difficult to see how easy it would be to turn their friendship into a relationship. It was so easy to imagine a future together. Kara felt guilty for not wanting to change what happened to Krypton. The destruction of Krypton brought her to her Earth family and led her inevitably into Lena’s arms. She missed Krypton and everything that was there but this life was too good to trade. “So you’ve seen us together in three hundred and fifty universes?”

Lena nodded, “I’ve seen our first kiss several times but it’s definitely better to actually kiss you than just watch.” 

Kara laughed, “Is that so?”

Lena smiled and nodded as Kara leant in for another kiss. Their second kiss, or third if you were being pedantic, was soft and comforting. 

When Kara pulled away she looked Lena in the eyes, “Lena Kieran Luthor you are not too broken to love me and I don’t for one second think this is all your fault. If you’re right and the universe really did take me away then it wasn’t just because of you. I was too much of a coward to tell you I was Supergirl. I was also completely blind to what I felt about you. I might not remember being away for five years but my body does and I felt the ache to touch you and kiss you. The time away made me realise that what I feel for you is not platonic in any way. So it’s not just your fault, it’s our fault and I’m sorry for the part I played.” 

“Oh Kara only you could make me feel better about this. I’m sorry too. I’ll never shut you out again.” When their lips found each other again Lena felt like fireworks were going off in her chest. She was exactly where she was meant to be. 

\---

When they pulled up outside Alex’s Kara felt swamped by nerves. Now she was here with Lena she felt very aware of how much time had passed. She had missed so much of Alex’s life. She had missed her and Kelly getting together, she had missed all the talks they would’ve had about dates. She doesn’t even know who proposed or when they got married. She missed out on helping them move into their house. She missed Alex’s first pregnancy and the first few years of Amelia’s life. She’s missed lots of her second pregnancy too. She feels like she’s invading a family that isn’t hers. She doesn’t know anything about Alex’s life right now. Kara remained in her seat in the car. Back rigid, staring straight ahead. 

When Lena realised Kara hadn’t made any attempt to get out of the car, she wordlessly reached for her hand. Lena gently rubbed Kara’s hand with her thumb. “Darling, I’ll be with you every step of the way. I know this must be so scary not really knowing who we all are anymore but we all love you I promise. We can take it all one step at a time.”

Kara nodded and took a deep breath before getting out of the car. Lena scrambled out of her side and locked the car. She held her hand out to Kara who quickly grasped it. Lena smiled softly before leading the way to Alex’s door and knocking. 

Kara’s grip on Lena’s hand tightened as they heard Alex approach. “One step at a time Kara.” Lena whispered, squeezing Kara’s hand. 

Alex flung the door open, “Lena Kieran Luthor where the hell have you been?!” Alex had the scary mum voice down to a tee. Kara and Lena both winced. Alex stepped out of the house and pulled Lena in for a hug. “I’ve been so worried about you Lee. You’re never allowed to disappear for months on end ever again.”

Kara started to release Lena’s hand so she could hug Alex back but Lena tightened her grip and hugged Alex with one arm. “I’m sorry Alex, I just had to find her.”

“And you did it so I can have you both back now.” Alex turned to look at Kara over Lena’s shoulder, she could see worry etched across her sisters face. She pulled away from Lena and reached out for Kara’s other hand. “Come on let’s get inside before the neighbours start talking. Supergirl, Kara Danvers and Lena Luthor all turning up at my door on the same day, people really will start talking!”

Kara and Lena followed Alex inside. “Would anyone like some tea?” 

Lena frowned, “No coffee Alex?” 

“It’s way too late to be having coffee Lena.” Alex gave Lena a disapproving look. 

Lena rolled her eyes. “Fine, tea would be lovely Alex.” Lena turned to Kara, “she’s become so sensible since becoming a mum, it’s easier to just agree with her.” She turned back to Alex with a sly grin on her face. 

Alex smiled back “Someone has to look out for your best interests Lena because you’re not going to do it.”

Lena held her free hand up, “okay fair point, you win.” 

Kara once felt so out of place watching Lena and Alex interact. 

“Kar, what about you? Want some tea?”

Kara didn’t trust her voice to work so she just nodded at Alex. 

“Okay make yourselves comfortable, I’ll be back in a minute.” Alex disappeared off into another room. 

“Lee I don’t belong here.” It was barely a whisper but Lena heard. 

Lena spun to look at Kara. She held Kara’s face with both her hands. “Darling you absolutely do belong here. Yes you have some catching up to do but me and Alex will help you every step of the way. She loves you so much and she’s missed you more than words can say, as have I. I promise you won’t always feel like you do now.” 

Kara was looking at Lena with wide eyes. Tears were threatening to spill out. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because I was once the stranger in this family. I felt out of place and you welcomed me with open arms. You helped your family see what you always saw in me and then they welcomed me too. I’m here right now being you, welcoming you home with open arms. You belong in this family Kara.”

Tears flowed down Kara’s face. “Lee-“ Kara didn’t know how to respond. 

“Shhhh it’s okay. You don’t have to say a thing.” Lena wiped Kara’s tears away. 

Kara couldn’t tell Lena how much those words meant to her but she could show her. She reached out for Lena’s face and pulled her close. Kara kissed Lena with everything she had, trying desperately to convey just how much she loved her. Kara pushed Lena backwards until Lena’s legs hit the arm of the couch. Lena lost her balance and fell backwards onto the couch pulling Kara down on top of her. 

Kara and Lena were too caught up in each other to realise Alex had come back into the room. “My poor couch!” 

Kara flew away from Lena in a panic, straight into a bookcase which had several photo frames and a vase on, all of which began to wobble. Kara frantically steadied all the items. 

“No flying in the house!” Kara stood sheepishly in front of the bookcase. Lena was howling laughing on the couch and Alex was stood in the doorway holding a tray with cups of tea on it, eyes still wide in shock. “I’m going to go back and get some biscuits so you can both collect yourselves before I come back in.” Alex backed into the kitchen. 

Lena sat up on the couch and ran her fingers through her hair. “Come sit down Kar.” Lena patted the space next to her. 

Kara carefully made her way to the couch and sunk down leaning into Lena. Lena brushed Kara’s hair with her hands and then cupped her face. “God I love you” she said with a smile. Kara couldn’t help but kiss her again. 

“Well at least it’s more PG this time.” Alex announced as she made her way in with her tray of tea and biscuits. 

Kara pulled away and blushed profusely. Lena set off laughing again, she hadn’t laughed like this in years.


End file.
